Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-04-22
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

MAINTAINING THE FERTILIrY OF Soils.
There are few rules in regard TO
maintaining fertility which should be
followed. One Is that all the unsold or
unfed portions OF crops should, if posi-
BILE, be returned to the soil upon which
they grew, or an equivalent should be
returned. Thus, II wheat Ia raised. the
grain sold and the straw composted with
the dung of animals, we form manure
which returns much that was removed
by the crop. If the straw be partly or
wholly fed to animals, still large por-
ton naturally finds its way back to the
soil. A portion Of the plant food sup
ply of the soil Is irrecoverably lost in
the grain sold, In the bones Of the ami
mails, In the milk sold of the farm, etc.
But we can calculate very nearly what
this loss Is and make IL good at small
expense IL we do not delay too long. 1t
is much better to feed than to sell hay
and straw, because the tax upon the
soil is so much less, and whoever does
sell these products should surely plan
to buy fertilizers to make good his drafts
upon the soil. Near cities 1t is always
easy TO buy stable manure, and this is
ordinarily the most economical. The
hay, grain and straw are TINS returned,
the loss is not only made good, but the
condi ton Of the land is improving all
the time, for this is the natural result of
tillage.
CONCERNING RoADs.-From an ex-
change we clip the following item in re-
gard to county roads: "About this time
of the year the supervisors of the several
districts are getting ready to sink many
thousands of dollars on the dirt roads.
Every ten or twelve years fully a quar-
ter of million dollars are wasted for
no other reason than because it is the
good old way" II there is one thing
that does not improve it is our roads
Every dollar put on them under the
present method is dollar wasted and a
palpable fraud on the taxpayers of the
county. There are two seasons in the
year when our dirt roads are an abomi
nation. One season is just now. at the
close of hard winter. when the frost
thaws itself out of the way; and the
other, just after the supervisors have
finished, at an immense cost, the almost
criminal waste Of public funds by tear
ing up the roads to maxi them muddy
ut the first rain. Supervisors should 90
over aud carefully examine all the
roads in their districts, TO ser what is
absolutely necessary in the line of re-
pairs, and decide just how much they
can pike with the money they have in
hand. Do this and in ten years from
now over one-half the roads in the
county will be good, substantial ones,
at no greater cost than now, for which
the tax payer gets nothing but annoy
ance, loss and waste for his money"
REMEDY FOR PoTATo BUGs.-One eX-
change tells of a farmer who has tried
new remedy for potato bugs with sue
cess. He produced number Of boards
and placed them here and there among
his potatoes, and on the boards were
placed raw potatoes sliced. At noon on
the first day of the experiment he and
his hired men found every piece of potato
covered with bugs. The men killed
this crop and at night another crop was
killed though not so large; and in
weeks time not bug could be seen.
and his trouble with bugs after this was
comparatively small. In the spring, he
says, is the best time to attend to bugs,
as spring bug, he understands, breeds
from 300 to 800 during the potato sea-
son. He thinks it would be good plan
to dip the pieces Of potato in Paris
green, as it would save the work of
killing them.
VIRGINIA SALLY LUNN.-One quart Of
-four, four eggs, half a cup of melted
butter, one cup Of warm milk, one cup
warm water, four tablespoons Of yeast,
one teaspoon of salt, half teaspoon OF
soda. dissolved in hot water. Beat the
eggs to a stiff froth, add the milk, water.
butter, soda and salt; stir in the flour to
smooth batter, and beat the yeast in
well. Set to rise in buttered pudding
dish, in which 1t must be baked and sent
to table. 1t will not be light under six
hours. Bake steaCily three. quarters OF
an hour, or until a straw thrust into it
comes up clean. Eat while hot.
No-EGa CAKE.-Beat one cup of sugar
into piece of shortening as large as a
good-sized egg, "until it creams" Dis
solve one teaspoonful of saleratus In one
cup Of sour milk; one cup of any kind
of fruit, or one cup Of mixture of cit
ron, ralsins and currants, a teaspoonful
of mixed spices, and two and one-half
cups of flour.
MUCILAGE.-1skea quarter pound of
gum arabic; put IL in bottle with half
pint of water; stir it occasionally:
next day it will be fit for use; to keep
this for a long time without becoming
sour or mouldy, add TO the above guam
tity tablespoonful of glyeerine and two
or three drops OF oil of cloves.
BEEF CRooUErrEs.-C3op fine some
cold beef; beat two eggs and mix with
the meat, and add a little milk. melted
butter, a little salt and pepper. Make
into rolls and fry brown.
A Hagerstown lad. whose sister was